Waking Up to Ash & Dust
by Ella M. Nite
Summary: There is only one way to stop a zombie apocalypse - you need one reincarnated Queen, a living dead King and an immortal sorcerer. Mix in some terminator-style time-travel and the darkest of magic. Of course, before stopping the apocalypse you need to survive it first.
1. Chapter 1

AN: Originally posted on AO3 for paperlegends 2013. Unfortunately the artwork does not translate over to FF.N very well, but I like to try to keep this account updated with some of my bigger projects. This fanfiction is completed and will be uploaded in full shortly.

* * *

Prologue

"It's beginning," the dying man said. He sat with detached interest as his wounds bled past the hands of his friend. "The end is nigh."

"Don't give me that end is nigh crap," his friend snapped. "I can save you."

"No," the man gasped. "It's too late."

His friend sat back, biting his lip and glancing around past the distant sound of guns and the shouts of men. The man marveled at how the soldiers seemed to run right past them, unseeing of their plight. It was as if the man and his friend were invisible. Perhaps they were. It would not be the first time.

"I hate this part," his friend said. The man laughed, or tried to, he choked on the iron-flavoured liquid that pooled in his throat. He wondered, blindly, if he would choke before he succumbed to his wounds.

"Not much better for me mate," the man tried to laugh once more. He reached into his pocket and was scared how numb his body felt. It took all his strength to clutch at the key hidden in it's depth. Motioning his friend toward him, the man placed the key in his hands.

"I can't," the friend shook his head, closing his eyes against the sight of the key, as if it physically hurt to have to see the dark little key, coated in mud and a bit of lint.

"Can't have her rusting on me. Take care of her and she'll get you anywhere you're going," the man sighed, feeling some of the tension drain from his body. The pain was distant now, his body gone and hollow. It wouldn't be long now. "Let her take you back to him. It won't be long now."

"Can I ease your pain?" his friend asked, and the man simply shook his head, wishing he had the strength needed to caress his friend's sharp cheekbones once more.

"Don't feel much pain anymore," the man admitted, his vision kept weakening, the world fading in and out. However, a thought gripped him, a sudden vision of what he needed to warn his friend against. "Morgana unleashed more than the dorocha."

"What?" His friend asked harshly, his hands fisting his shirt, it was a distant feeling now. "What did you just say?"

"It won't be long now, they are coming," the man gasped, struggling to tell his friend before the world stayed dark. "Albion's time of need. I saw it. So soon. And a man rising from a lake. You must be careful Emrys."

"Where have you heard that name? John?" his friend demanded, and he wished he could answer, wished he could find the strength needed to ease all of his friends doubts and fears. "John!"

As the world faded and his strength left him, the man raised one shaking hand to his friend's face. On his dying whisper he tried to put all his love into his final word.

"Merlin …"

* * *

Chapter One: Distant Waters

The tree bark was rough against her fingertips where they brushed against the upper branch. She stretched as far as she could, her feet curling up on her tip-toes, in a desperate attempt to reach further than her tiny arms would allow her. She was very proud that her search for the tallest tree on the tallest hill had been so successful.

"It's too far," Elyan said, his small round face looking scared as he watched his sister lean even further out from the safety of her branch.

"Don't worry," Gwen said, "I've got an idea."

The branch wasn't too far away. Crouching down and taking a deep breath, Gwen launched herself out of the tree branch. She hit the upper branch with more force than she expected and quickly tried to wrap her arms around the tree branch as she slid down, her feet kicking in the air below.

"Gwen!" Elyan cried out, struggling onto the branch Gwen had just vacated. "Gwen!"

"I'm okay," she said, even as she felt her arms slipping as the gnarled, moss covered bark broke away beneath her grip. Swinging her legs up it took two or three times before she was able to latch one leg over the branch. With concentrated effort, she managed to pull herself up.

"See, I told you I was okay," Gwen laughed, looking down on her little brother as he stood below her.

"Can you see it?" Elyan asked.

Gwen stood on her branch and peered through the foliage. In the distance she could make out the pristine blue waters of the lake.

"You can see Hog's Bay!" She cried out, smiling giddily at her brother. "Come up."

"I can't reach," Elyan said, his face crumpling as he stared nervously at the distance between them.

"Just grab my hand," Gwen said, carefully laying down on her stomach so that her hand could reach far enough down. Elyan had always been a little short for his age, and it was a sore issue with him since starting school.

"What if you drop me?" Elyan asked.

"Come on, I wouldn't let anything happen to you, don't you trust me?" Gwen said.

"Right," Elyan took a deep breath, and then leaned forward, grabbing hold of Gwen's hand and trying to jump for the higher branch, just as Gwen had done. But Gwen was almost a head taller than her younger brother, and he didn't even touch the branch. His weight pulled on Gwen's arms and painfully snapped them downward. Already fatigued by the desperate clamber to get on the branch, Gwen felt her arms shake from exertion as she held her brother's hand, the only thing stopping him from falling out of the tree.

"Gwen!" Elyan cried out, tears forming as he dangled helplessly. "Get me up!"

Unable to speak, it took every ounce of willpower to get her arms to lift him up so that he could climb onto the branch as well. Elyan was shaking when he finally sat on the branch, breathing heavily as adrenaline rushed through his system. Gwen wrapped an arm around his shoulders, trying to stop the shaking.

"Is that it?" Elyan whispered.

Gwen looked and saw they had a clear view while sitting down of the very tip of Hog's Bay.

"Yes. Isn't it beautiful?" Gwen said, smiling at the distant waters.

"Do you think Dad will take us?" Elyan asked. "I think I would like the lake."

"Maybe he will," Gwen lied.

"Do you think I would be a good swimmer?"

"You would be the best."

They stayed in the tree for a long time, until the sun got lower and the sky lit up with deep purples and reds. They climbed carefully down from their top branch and giggled in giddy delight as they raced back to their home. Elyan was fast, but his shorter legs made it easy for Gwen to fly past him.

Their home wasn't much. The old house had seen better days, and the attached mechanic's garage her father worked out of had several abandoned vehicles her father kept around for parts. Elyan and Gwen would play hide and seek in the skeletal remains of the cars. Rushing past her favourite red car, Gwen laughed with delight as she was the first one to charge through the open door.

"The public are warned that Aberdeen will be quarantined until further notice. Officials are saying not to be worried and will be releasing a statement to the public later this afternoon after the …"

"No running inside," her father said, quickly turning off the radio. "And where were you two?"

"Just walking," Gwen said, sending Elyan a pointed look. Their tree climbing exploits were a secret they guarded from their father. He never let them go past the property lines, especially towards the lake.

"Well, I need some help with the laundry," Tom said. He picked up the clean laundry from the table and made for the back bedroom. Gwen was quick to toe off her muddy shoes and help Elyan with his. Every Sunday they would help their father put away the clean laundry. Just as they helped every Saturday make and pack the lunches for school the following week. Their Mother used to do it before she died.

Walking towards the back bedroom, Elyan whispered in her ear, "Should we ask him about the lake?"

"No," Gwen said firmly. "You never mention the lake to Dad. It just makes him sad."

"He's never going to take us there is he?" Elyan asked, sounding so small and sad as he pouted.

Gwen snaked one arm around his small, bony shoulders and gripped them tightly.

"I'll take you someday," Gwen promised.

* * *

"Have a seat," Professor Gaius said, sitting comfortably behind his cluttered desk. Gwaine sat down trying to appear more at ease than he actually felt. The office he found himself in was a small box with shelves stacked with so many books that not all of them could fit. Piled in boxes on the floor even more books piled out as if it were the scene of a literary explosion. A weak beam of sunlight flitted through the window and highlighted the deep lines of Gaius' face.

"Something wrong Gaius?" Gwaine asked, ignoring titles and the pomp of university was almost second nature to him. Gaius did not even blink, too used to Gwaine's own brand of rebellion to even notice.

"There's been an opening as one of our TA's and after some discussion with my colleagues, I would like to highly encourage you to apply. I think this would be a wonderful opportunity," Gaius said without any preamble.

"Me?" Gwaine laughed. "I'm a horrible student."

For some reason Gaius wasn't laughing. Instead he was raising one disapproving eyebrow, a clear sign that he was about to enter lecture mode.

"Gwaine, you are one of the best students at this university," Gaius stated, and continued to speak over Gwaine as he tried to interrupt to point out the bullshit in that sentence. "Your last paper on bestiality in medieval storytelling has been submitted to several journals. Even Professor Muirden admitted it was a bold, thought-provoking and wonderfully researched paper."

Gwaine fidgeted in his seat, unused to such direct praise. Especially hearing Professor Muirden had even agreed. That guy was a dick.

"This would be a wonderful opportunity, and if you applied I can almost guarantee that you would be the perfect person for the job," Gaius pushed.

"I thought the faculty had already hired a new TA," Gwaine said.

"Ah," he said, absently cleaning his glasses and refusing to meet Gwaine's eyes. "Yes, it is rather unfortunate but … he won't be able to."

"What happened?"

Gaius sighed, put his glasses back on and rubbed a tired hand over his face.

"He was coming from a city in Canada called Windsor," Gaius said. "It hasn't received the same international coverage as the Detroit evacuation, but it too was affected by the illness."

"He didn't make it?" Gwaine asked, feeling his stomach clench and squirm painfully.

"No, no, he was lucky to have escaped. However, the Canadian government has instated a no-fly restriction on anyone who has come from any of the Zones," Gaius said. "And the University has decided it would not be worth the risk associated with bringing someone with such strong connections to the illness into contact with our student population."

Gwaine didn't bother to hide his derision. "Well that's stupid, there's more and more outbreaks every other week now. If they follow that logic there won't be anyone else to hire."

"It is for the safety of our students," Gaius lectured. "And besides, it's beyond the point in this case. Mr. Short is confined to finding employment in Canada for the foreseeable future and we are stuck with an opening."

"I'll think about it," Gwaine refused to commit.

"That's all I ask."

* * *

"Tom's Mechanics, this is Gwen speaking, how may I help you?" Gwen said as she answered the phone, gripping her pen tight as she placed it over the coffee stained notepad.

"I need to schedule an oil change," Mrs. Smithson said, just as Gwen heard the front door bell ring signaling the arrival of a customer. "I was hoping to make it for this week sometime."

"We have openings on the twenty-third and twenty-fourth in the afternoon, if that works for you?" Gwen said, checking the schedule. She held up one finger towards the customer, and scribbled down Mrs. Smithson's contact information under the twenty-fourth.

"Sorry about that," Gwen apologized, hanging up the phone and leaning back to greet her customer. The man was clearly in his eighties, with a gnarled face, long white beard and unkempt hair. He seemed frozen by the front door. "Is there anything we can do to help you? Sir?"

The 'sir' seemed to shake him, and the elderly man made his way to the front desk.

"How may I help you today?" Gwen asked pleasantly.

The old man blinked, moisture gathering in his eyes, no sound came out of his moving mouth. A sense of unease settled in Gwen's stomach, she knew what the startled look meant. Sighing, Gwen gathered her courage.

"Have you been in an accident?" she asked kindly. "Do you need a tow?"

"What?" the old man gasped.

"You seem shaken, has there been an accident? Are you okay?"

"No, just a flat," he wheezed. "I'm sorry, you look like someone I used to know."

Gwen gazed quizzically at the old man. With his wild hair and stooped posture, he looked like a memorable sort, but Gwen was sure she had never seen him in her life. Living in the country, the closest village was barely even five hundred people. Between the small population and isolated location, there weren't many strangers to these parts. Certainly none as odd as the man standing in front of her.

"Sorry, can't say we've met," Gwen shrugged apologetically. "My father should be able to get your car running."

"That would be great," the man said. "Thank you."

Gwen walked over to the door, connecting the small office space to the garage. She grimaced as the rock music poured out as she opened the door.

"Dad! Dad!" she yelled over the din of music crackling out of the old radio set. The front bell chimed again. Peering back into the bleak office space, Elyan stood staring awkwardly at the old man. "Perfect, Elyan, could you run and grab Dad for me? Tell him he has a customer."

Elyan nodded, running past into the shop.

"Elyan?" The old man asked, paling significantly under the harsh fluorescent lights. "What did you say your name was?"

"I'm Guinevere, but everyone just calls me Gwen," she introduced herself. "My Dad owns the shop here and he's really good at repairing cars and stuff. He'll have you back on the road in no time."

The old man sat down with a thunk on one of the old plastic chairs. He ignored the automobile magazines set on the coffee table in front of him and stared fixedly at the far wall.

"Have you been to the area before?" Gwen asked, trying to make conversation.

"Yes, many times," he said quietly, finally looking back at Gwen. "It's on my way to visit an old friend."

Just then the music stopped and Tom appeared in the doorway, wiping his hands on a greasy towel before offering his hand to the old man. Gripping it tightly, Tom shook hands firmly, grinning at the prospect of a new client almost giddily.

"Well, friend, let's see what we can do for you," Tom exclaimed. "Gwennie, you go make sure Elyan isn't trying to borrow any more of my parts, I don't want to see my best parts being used in one of his contraptions again."

"Okay Dad," Gwen said, ducking out of the room. The garage smelled of fuel and sweat. Gwen made her way past Mr. Gray's car, a constant visitor of the garage, and searched for Elyan. Peering around the workbench, she saw his buzz cut, his almost bald head bobbing as he tried to peer out the window.

"What are you doing?" Gwen asked, walking up behind him. A good head above Elyan, it was simple enough for Gwen to press her forehead against the dirty window pane and make out the blinding white of the old man's beard and her father's broad back as they talked.

"I'm trying to see the old guy," Elyan said, bouncing on to his toes. "Can you see them."

"Yes," Gwen said, watching with fascination as the old man gestured wildly with his hands.

"What's he driving?" Elyan asked breathlessly, tired from his jumping. "Is it really old? I bet it's a grey car, almost a decade old … he seems like a fossil doesn't he?"

"No," Gwen whispered. "Not a car, but it is rather old."

"A truck? Like a proper lorry?" Elyan asked.

"Not that many wheels."

Elyan screwed his face together in concentration. Gwen peered down at him, and waited for the look of amazement as Elyan realised what vehicle it was out front.

"No way, no," Elyan whispered, running to the desk and grabbing the rickety-old wooden chair and dragging it underneath the window. With their faces pressed together, they watched as their father and the old man walked around a motorbike, looking like it had come out of an old black and white film. "He drives a motorbike? But he's ancient!"

"Maybe he looks older than he is," Gwen argued. "Maybe he's only …"

"A hundred?" Elyan exclaimed.

Suddenly piercing blue eyes found theirs through the dirty window panes and with a squeak, Elyan and Gwen dropped to the floor.

"Do you think he saw us?" Elyan whispered.

"Don't know," Gwen whispered back.

"Check."

"You check."

They stared at one another, a silent battle of wills. Finally, Elyan reluctantly climbed onto the chair and was just about to peer out the window again, when a firm rapping of knuckles against glass startled both of them. In the window was their father's fondly exasperated face.

"Run!" Elyan yelled, grabbing Gwen's hand and yanking her along as they dashed past the cars and out the back door. "Save yourself Gwen!"

And despite being old enough to be painfully aware how silly it was to run around outside with her little brother, Gwen laughed at the freedom of it all. As the two of them raced up and down the back hill, she completely forgot about the odd old man watching them from the lane with sad eyes.

* * *

"Last box," Elyan huffed, putting down the cardboard box on the bare, single mattress stuffed tightly in the far corner of the cramped dormitory room. Gwen had tried her hardest to not pack too much, but she had not anticipated how much space her limited wardrobe took up. The car had been crammed to the roof with barely enough room for its three passengers.

"If you need anything, you call," her father said, grabbing her in a tight embrace. "If you want to come home we'll come get you."

"I'll be fine," Gwen promised, even though her throat was tight and her eyes prickled, her fingers tightening against her father's flannel shirt. "I'll give you a ring once everything is unpacked."

"Good," Tom said softly.

Gwen stayed in the tight embrace for a moment longer, trying to imprint the feel of her father's warm embrace and his spicy cologne deep into her memory. Finally pulling away slightly, Gwen tried not to cry at her father's glistening eyes.

"Your mother would be so proud," Tom said, gently cupping Gwen's cheek.

"I suppose I'll see you at Christmas," Elyan said, slapping a hand against her back and looking anywhere but at Gwen. His growth spurt had finally hit, and it seemed overnight he had gone from the slightly chubby, five foot little brother Gwen remembered into a tall, lean, sporty teenager.

Not caring that Elyan thought himself too cool for open displays of affection, Gwen pulled him into a tight hug.

"Look after Dad," she said, sniffling slightly. "And don't get into trouble with Mr. Ericson. He still hasn't forgiven you for painting that smiley face on his front porch."

"He has no sense of humour. It was ironic," Elyan muttered, shifting awkwardly in her embrace.

"We had better go," Tom said gruffly. "Want to make it back before it gets dark. It's dangerous on the roads."

Elyan paused at the door.

"Hey Gwen, see ya," Elyan said in a ridiculous accent out of a western movie. Gwen laughed and tipped an imaginary cowboy hat, and then they were gone.

Heart beating fast, Gwen looked down at the unpacked boxes. She wasn't sure what to open first. The boxes just sat there and it seemed so final to start putting stuff away. She sat down in the old chair stuffed under the beat-up desk and stared, unseeingly at the boxes, trying to calm her breathing.

"Oh my god, who was that hottie? Please tell me you aren't banging him, because damn, I would lick his body."

Startled, Gwen jumped to her feet and was shocked to find a pretty girl with crazy blonde hair pulled back to a ponytail prance into her room wearing nothing but shorts and a bra. Stuttering, Gwen averted her eyes, trying to not to stare at the half dressed girl in front of her.

"Sorry, I'm Elena, looks like I'll be your neighbour," Elena said, sticking out her hand and enthusiastically grabbing Gwen's. The force of the handshake was such that Gwen's arm felt almost ripped out of its socket. "I'm sure we'll be great friends."

Gwen could do little more than smile timidly, unsure of how to politely dislodge Elena before her hand was broken.

Elena's prediction came true. Within two weeks Gwen and Elena were inseparable. They convinced their respective roommate to switch places and before the end of the first term the two of them were living together. Elena was messy, always leaving random bits lying around, used to having a maid to clean up after her. Gwen would get so focused on work that Elena would need to force her out of the room to get a shower when essays started to pile up on her.

Never in her life could she remember sharing such a close friendship with someone.

"When are you heading home for the holidays?" Gwen asked, carefully folding the wrapping paper around the book on knighthood she had bought for Elyan.

"Father's in France this year, so I thought I would just stay here," Elena shrugged, and kept her eyes glued to the laptop she had in front of her as she sat cross legged on bed.

"You're staying in residence?" Gwen asked, stopping what she was doing to get a better view on Elena. "But, they close during the holidays."

"They let international students stay. I already talked to the the Don, it's fine," Elena said, still avoiding looking towards Gwen.

"You aren't an international student though, and the only other people who are allowed to stay come from the Zones. You're from not even twenty minutes away," Gwen pointed out.

"I'm not …" Elena whispered, finally looking up at Gwen. Her gaze was dull and hurt, far different from the normal glee that Gwen was used to. Slowly, Gwen rose and crossed to Elena's bed.

"You're not?" Gwen prompted, as they shuffled around the bed so that they both had their backs against the back wall.

"I'm not from here, my father's family is, so I just told people I was so that they wouldn't act all weird," Elena muttered.

"So, where are you from then?" Gwen asked. Her palms felt sweaty, but Gwen held still as if any sudden movement would break the tense silence.

"Eastbourne," Elena said. Gwen couldn't help the gasp which escaped her. Just barely, she was able to stop herself from jumping up and running far away from Elena. It was hard, everything in her, all the news broadcasts and the papers kept flashing through her mind. "See why I don't tell people?"

"So, you survived the Quarantine?" Gwen asked, it seemed impossible that she could know anyone who had lived through the horrors that Gwen had watched on the news. Her entire life had been so sheltered. Just her little brother and father, rolling hills and ancient forests, and the far-off lake haunting them. There were no government quarantines and illnesses that took out entire cities.

"My father and I had been visiting his family here, my mother was supposed to come meet us … she never made it," Elena said, silently crying, and unable to stop herself, Gwen wrapped her arms around her friend. "She couldn't get the time off work, so she was waiting until Friday night before catching the train north. But the illness hit and the city was quarantined, by the time we were allowed in everyone was gone. They said they had needed to take the bodies to safely dispose of those infected. I never saw her again."

Elena curled into Gwen's hug, burrowing her head against Gwen's neck, silent but violent sobs wracking her body.

"I'm sorry," Elena muttered. "But please don't tell anyone. They hear you're from one of the Zones and they treat you like you're diseased or something. I just wanted to start over."

"I won't tell a soul," Gwen promised, feeling horrible for her initial reaction, that deep seated fear that had coursed through her at the thought of knowing someone who might have been in contact with the illness. "Why don't you come home with me?"

"Really," Elena asked, leaning back and rubbing her red eyes dry. "After knowing, you're inviting me to your home? Would your Dad mind?"

"He'll be fine," Gwen promised. "You're still the best friend I ever had. I want to spend the holidays with you. Besides, this way people won't question why you're allowed to stay."

"Thank you," Elena said. She gave a small, watery grin, so very different from her normal beaming smile.

"You just need to promise me one thing."

"Anything."

"Don't hit on my brother."

Elena leaned her head back on Gwen's shoulder and she snorted and laughed. Gwen couldn't help but laugh at the sound.

"No promises," was all Elena said.

* * *

The alley was run down and shabby. Rain had started to fall, creating a hushed feel as Merlin huddled against the garbage bin and took a drag from his cigarette. He opened his eyes as he exhaled, viewing the deep blues and muted red bricks of the alley through the haze of smoke.

It was a bad habit. He should quit. If he wasn't careful he could get lung cancer.

Merlin chuckled darkly, taking another deep inhale, teeth gently biting the edge, wanting the foul taste in his mouth. He'd been smoking on and off for over three centuries, he figured there wasn't much hope for him now. Once there had been a gentleman's pipe and then the fat cigars and then there had been options and new tastes and little fruity cigars that made Merlin lick his numb lips in pleasure. An expanding world with expanding options, always growing and spinning.

Finally as the cigarette was reduced to the mere butt, he tossed it on the ground. Turning up the collar to keep the rain from seeping down his neck, he dashed back across the alley and into the run down bar where his whiskey waited for him.

It was no accident that Merlin was at this shady establishment.

Across the poor lighting and worn down bar was none other than Gwaine. He watched the man drink his beer, trying to flirt with the pretty bartender who wasn't giving him an inch. Gwaine wasn't backing down though, he had been here every single night for the past two weeks.

Merlin had been seeing more and more ghosts from his past. The first time had been not even seven years ago, when he had let his age show and he had been on his way back to visit Arthur's watery grave. Some unexpected trouble with Kilgarragh, his motorbike, had forced him to pull over at the nearest mechanics.

At the sight of a young Gwen and childlike Elyan, Merlin had practically flown to Avalon, sure that their presence would mean the return of his king. But there was nothing there but still water that taunted him.

"Anything else?" Katie the bartender asked, pointing toward his empty glass.

"Same if you don't mind," Merlin asked, his voice rough from how little he used it these days and the fag he'd had moments before.

Katie nodded and poured him a new one.

"Mind if I stay and chat? That man over there is kind of giving me some problems," Katie asked, nodding backwards towards Gwaine. "He tips great but he's a bit handsy."

Merlin nodded, feeling distinctly uncomfortable being dragged into a conversation.

"So where are you from?" Katie asked.

"Ealdor," Merlin murmured.

"Never heard of it, is it near here?"

It's under you, Merlin wanted to answer. Ealdor was nothing more than the dirt beneath your feet, shacks which had since decomposed and land that had since been built on and there was nothing left of it. No trace or mention of his home. Even in myth Ealdor had been forgotten. But Merlin held his tongue and shrugged. There was no point in explaining.

"You've been coming in all week and I don't think I've seen you say two words." Katie said, leaning forward so that the top of her low cut blouse exposed more of her chest. "Very mysterious."

"Not really, just nothing to say," Merlin said, taking a large gulp and glancing back to where Gwaine was glowering at the bar, jealous of the attention the bartender was giving Merlin. He fidgeted in his seat. Merlin was not ready to talk to any of his ghosts.

"Well, you should talk more, you've got a lovely voice," Katie said. "Is he still looking over here?"

Merlin nodded, his eyes unable to leave Gwaine's intense gaze. Merlin wondered if there was a spark of recognition in them, if deep down Gwaine recognized his old friend.

"I've known Gwaine for ages, he's perfectly harmless," Katie reassured him. "Sometimes I just need a break from him though. He's so full of himself. Thinks he's god's gift to women that one does. But he won't hurt you or anything, if that's what you're worried about."

His glass was once again empty. Merlin hadn't even realized he had drunk that fast.

"I knew a Gwaine," Merlin admitted despite himself. "One of the best men I knew."

"What happened to him?"

"He died," Merlin muttered, twirling the empty glass in his hand, lifting and pressing the coolness against his face. A swell of nausea rose in him, and he swallowed hard as he tried to get the feeling to stop.

"You okay?" Katie asked. "Do you want me to call you a taxi… sorry, what's your name?"

"I'm fine," Merlin muttered, tossing some money blindly on the bar, not caring how much it was. The feeling grew and swelled around him. It didn't help that he knew what the feeling meant. Stumbling to his feet, he realized belatedly that he had perhaps drunk more than he had thought, as the world spun around him.

"You all right there mate?" a familiar voice asked, and a pain shot through Merlin so intensely he closed his eyes against it. This however did not help the sick feeling nor did it stop the spinning, and so he stumbled a few more steps before large hands grabbed him. "I think you need some help there. I'll help you get home, that sound okay mate?"

Opening his eyes, Merlin saw Gwaine's face up close, it was achingly similar to how he remembered it, even the light scruff was there. He should shove this man away, he shouldn't get involved, it might have been over a millennia, but the memories of those long ago days were still too fresh to deal with reincarnated imitations of his old friends.

"Thanks," Merlin muttered instead, holding the man closer.

"See you later Katie. I hope you notice how gallant I am being, helping the weak and saving damsels in distress," Gwaine said loudly over his shoulder as he helped Merlin to the door.

"I'm not a damsel," Merlin muttered.

"But you are in distress," Gwaine pointed out, grinning down roguishly. "And helping the helpless might just be enough to help me win Katie's heart."

"You just want her to give you a discount off drinks," Merlin muttered, thinking of the other Gwaine, who had done that exact thing in almost every bar he had ever been in, whether the bartender was male or female. He briefly wondered if this Gwaine was as free with his sexual exploits, but it wouldn't do to ask, he didn't want to know.

"Let me go," Merlin muttered as he felt his stomach roll. Gwaine let go in just enough time for Merlin to be sick in the trough of the road.

"Didn't think you drank that much at the bar, are you sick or something?" Gwaine asked.

"Or something," Merlin muttered. "My flat is just a few streets from here , I think I can manage the rest of the way myself. Thanks though."

"You sure?"

"I'm fine."

"Well I suppose I should get back to marking," Gwaine sighed, running a hand through his long locks.

"Marking?" Merlin couldn't help but ask, it seemed to be unthinkable that Gwaine would be in any sort of teaching profession.

"I work at the university," Gwaine said simply. "If you're sure you can make it home mate, I'll leave it to you then. You sure you're okay?"

"Yes, I live not even two minutes away," Merlin said truthfully. "I'm fine. Thank you."

"Okay, well, try not to die," Gwaine laughed, before pushing a piece of paper into Merlin's hand. "Call me once you're in, otherwise I'll be worried you're dead in a ditch somewhere."

Merlin barely remembered making it back to his flat. Small and cramped, he had first bought it centuries previously. It was a number of small places and hide-aways he had accumulated over the centuries. At the time, it had been a stopping ground as he decided to throw himself into academia, enjoying the release of being surrounded by the artifacts and manuscripts from his own time. Those days of robes and musty libraries were long past him now.

Instead a tired Merlin flopped down on the bed and groaned into his pillow. He knew in the morning the sickness would have claimed a new town. This time it was closer to home, he only ever got sick when it was on Albion's soil. The foul magic John had warned him about years ago twisting his insides and leaving him shaking.

It passed quickly of course, but in his mind's eyes he could see the infected, and knew, deep down, they were already doomed. They had been for over a thousand years.


	2. Chapter 2

_AN: The __first time jump of the series! Enjoy!_

* * *

**_~Camelot~  
7 Days to Beltane's Eve_**

Time travel was not what Gwen expected. She had thought it might be intensely painful, as if each cell were taken apart and put back together in a slow agony. At best she expected a more Harry Potter style of time travel where everything would rewind and she would see the Camelot of legend being remade from the ruin she had been standing in.

Instead it felt like a blink. Painless but extremely disorienting ... and she was completely naked. Naked and she could see a feeble old man sitting in a chair. Luckily the old man, whoever he was, seemed completely off his rocker and hadn't even looked away from the window to see her standing there, completely naked. A quick glance around the room didn't show any clothes that Gwen could wear.

Her initial beginnings of worry turned into full-fledged panic when she heard the footsteps of someone approaching. Grabbing a blanket off the bed, she quickly wrapped it around herself as the door opened.

A familiar figure with shocking white hair entered.

Even though she knew, logically, that she would be seeing people whom she had seen die, the reality of it was far different then she had anticipated. She felt cold and hot and her emotions were doing things she didn't understand, but caused her stomach to twist painfully and her heart to beat fast. She had no idea how Merlin had survived this entire time.

"Gaius," she gasped.

"Gwen?" He said, raising an inquisitive eyebrow at her wrapped in the sheet.

"Gaius," she said, trying to think of a lie as fast as possible. "I'm ... super ... sick right now. I mean, I was sick all over my dress and I really need a new one, do you think you might be able to help me?"

"You are ... super ... sick?" Gaius asked. Cursing her modern words to hell and back, Gwen decided the best defense was a good offense.

Clutching her mouth, she made for a bucket, making sure to do some very convincing dry heaves, even though it made her actually feel nauseous. Luckily she had some practice from when she was little and had made a habit of playing sick so she could read all the new Harry Potter books. If her father had ever caught on to the suspiciously timed sick days, he had never said anything.

"I'll get Merlin to bring you up some new clothes," Gaius said hastily. "Then I want you to come straight to my chambers to be examined."

Giving Gaius the thumbs up, she suddenly realised that might be too modern, or worse, Roman, and settled for an awkward waving of the hand. As she heard the front door close, she stopped dry heaving and quickly stood up.

"You're not Gwen," the old man said, causing Gwen to jump out of her skin.

"Yes I am, um, sorry, who are you again?" Gwen asked.

"An impostor, magic must be involved," the old man said, getting more and more agitated.

"What? I'm not an impostor, I was just kidding, of course I know who you are ... sir," Gwen said hurriedly. Trying to place who this man could be. But besides being a slightly deranged and older version of Giles off Buffy Gwen was at a loss.

"But, for fun, I'm going to call you Giles, how about that?" Gwen said cheerfully.

"Guards!" the man yelled.

"Okay, I won't call you Giles! Just please stay calm, sir," Gwen pleaded.

The man was having none of it though, and his yells were getting louder. Desperate to make the man shut up, she shoved an apple in his mouth. It was crude, but it worked.

Trying to stay calm, she tried to take stock of her surroundings. First thing was figuring how far away from Beltane's Eve she was. If Merlin had messed up the spell and placed her after Beltane ... well ... then Gwen would be screwed.

Trying to stay positive, she reminded herself that it was a miracle she had even made it this far.

"You wouldn't happen to know how far off Beltane's Eve is, do you?" Gwen asked, taking the apple out of the man's mouth.

"Guards!" The man yelled.

"Never mind," Gwen sighed, stuffing the apple back into the man's mouth.

Pacing the room, she wondered how long it would take Merlin to get her clothes. If they would be far away or close, and suddenly she was seeing many missing holes in the descriptions of Camelot that she had been given. Such as the fact that Gwen had no idea where her house was supposed to be. She briefly remembered something about a lower town, but she had no idea where that would be located from where she was currently pacing.

It seemed to take ages before there was a tentative knock in the door.

As Merlin came in with an air of caution about him as if were afraid she would be sick all over him, Gwen was once again thrown off balance. If she hadn't been expecting him she would never have recognized him. Gone was the dark and slightly menacing stranger or the aloof protector she had known and loved. Instead he seemed so young, despite the fact he was roughly the age he preferred to show to the world.

It was the smile, Gwen decided, she had never seen him smile that way. She wondered when he had lost that smile over the centuries. Perhaps it was after Arthur.

"Gaius said you needed a change of clothes," Merlin said, holding out the blankets.

"Yes, thank you Merlin," Gwen said softly taking the offered clothing and taking a step back.

"I told you that you needed to take a break," Merlin said fondly. "There are other maids that can help tend to the King. If you keep this pace you will make yourself sick ... er, more sick."

"Of course, King," Gwen said, throwing a panicked look towards the King, whom she had apparently gagged with an apple. Not even an hour into the past and already she must have committed several treasons, not even counting the magic needed to bring her here. Still, King or not, the man was obviously not all together, and so Gwen took a chance. "He's having a bad day, he did not even recognize me. He thought I was an impostor."

"Why don't we call up another Maid and you let me escort you home," Merlin offered and Gwen could have wept in joy. For the first time since the outbreak she felt that luck was finally working in her favour.

"That sounds lovely," Gwen said, but then paused as she looked down at her clothes. "You wouldn't mind turning around for a minute."

"Of course not," Merlin said and gave Gwen some privacy to try and get into the period clothing which was a lot more complicated than Gwen's preferred hoodie and jeans. The clothes were a bit too big for her, and Gwen knew it would be from the lack of food over the past few months. She just hoped it would not be too noticeable. Finally presentable, she let Merlin know she was ready to go.

Just as they were leaving the King's chambers, Merlin held the door for her.

"Thanks," she said as she slipped through and waited for Merlin to lead the way to her house.

"When did you cut your hair?" Merlin asked.

"Oh, last night," Gwen lied, and missed the dark look that passed over Merlin's face.


	3. Chapter 3

_AN: Back to modern day (and the start of the zombie apocalypse!)._

* * *

"It's known as a manicure and I swear to god, if you tell me you have a phobia over freaking glittery ass nailpolish, I will smack you."

Gwen groaned and tried to shove her hands further into her pockets. As if that would protect her cuticles from the horror of the sketchy nail salon Elena was dragging her into.

"I am not a girly girl," Elena ranted. "But even I know the benefit of a good manicure."

For the most part Elena was a kindred spirit to Gwen. It was nice to know someone who she could relax with. Some one she could drink a beer with as they watched sports and stared unabashedly at all the perfectly rounded arses on the screen and decided, if they had to, which one would they rather have wild passionate sex with? Of course, with a new outbreak sweeping through London, most major games had been cancelled.

Despite being kindred spirits every now and then Elena's upper class upbringing was brought to the front. The manicures were one such time.

"There is no benefit," Gwen argued. "They hurt."

"You need to toughen up," Elena teased. "Just think how pretty your fingers will look! Maybe Professor Gwaine will see you sitting there, paying attention to his lecture, and see your dazzling nails and simply throw himself at your feet and ravish you silly."

"Right in front of the class?" Gwen asked.

"Gwen, you exhibitionist little minx, I never knew."

"Shut up," Gwen laughed.

The bell rang as they entered the nail salon.

As her nails were being manhandled by the nail artist, Gwen glanced out the large front windows and frowned. Military men were rushing down the streets as a crowd of people dazedly walked down the cobbled lane. Sitting up in her chair, she blinked hard and tried to understand what she was seeing.

"Elena?" Gwen asked, but just then several men in uniform burst through the door.

"Everyone out! Go!" They yelled, waving their guns toward the door. Gwen looked down at the nail artist across from her and could see a mirror image of the intense fear that swelled up in Gwen reflected back at her. The woman's hands shook as they let go of Gwen's. In a mass of confusion, the women shuffled out of the shop, only to be joined by the swelling masses in the street.

"What's going on?" Gwen saw Elena demand as one of the men grabbed her wrist and forcibly shoved her onto the street.

"Evacuation," the man grunted. "Hurry."

Gwen felt a thrill of panic hit her. Evacuations were becoming more and more frequent as the unknown illness appeared with even more deadly force. Everyone knew most people didn't make it out of an evacuation alive. There were never enough busses, never enough planes, the news would lament the government's lack of preparation as thousands died, and still no word on what the illness was, no idea of what symptoms to look for.

"Elena!" Gwen yelled, grabbing Elena's hand as the crowd of people, growing every minute, tried to push her away from her friend.

"Gwen," Elena cried, wrapping her arms around Gwen's waist in a desperate attempt to not get separated. "We need to move."

It was a jumble of limbs, pressing so close it was impossible to breathe. A living sea of people that swelled and shifted. Someone elbowed her in the mouth, and the tang of blood told her it must have cut her lip. She heard Elena cry in pain, but there was no way to turn and check on her. The only thing to do was cling to Elena's arms around her waist and move along with the crowd of people.

"Gwen!" a voice yelled. In a blind panic, Gwen tried to find whoever was calling her name. The flashes of fabric, scared faces, and crying children were overwhelming to the senses. A mother was jostled beside her, the infant in her arms looking up at Gwen with wide, scared eyes.

"Gwen!" The voice called again. Suddenly a hand wrapped around her shoulder and she found herself pressed against a solid, chest. "You need to get out of the crowd."

The hands pulled her sideways, she felt Elena's arms slip as a man ran into them. It was only Gwen's own frantic grip that kept them from being separated.

Finally making her way out of the crowd they stumbled into a small alleyway barely more than a shoulders breadth wide. Taking a gulping gasp, she pulled Elena forward and hugged her close.

"YOU THREE!" A soldier yelled, making his way toward the alley. "You can't be there."

The man, a slender tall man with dark hair, stood between the girls and the soldier.

"You should keep going," the stranger commanded the soldier.

"Either you move or we are under orders to shoot," the soldier yelled, holding up his weapon. Gwen felt her knees go weak and she clung tighter to Elena. The soldier started towards them and suddenly it was if a wind picked him up and sent him flying back into the crowd.

"We need to move," the stranger said, grabbing Gwen's hand as he started to pull her down the alleyway. In a fit of panic, she clawed at his hand, making him yelp and let go. "Gwen!"

"How do you know my name?" She asked desperately. "What the hell just happened? Who are you?"

"We need to evacuate," Elena said. "We need to get to the buses."

"They're already at the buses!" the man said, running a frustrated hand through his hair. "The only way out of the city now is on foot."

"Who's already at the buses?" Gwen asked.

"The infected," the man said, sending a slightly panicked look out of the alleyway. "If you want to survive, you'll have to trust me."

The man once again grabbed Gwen's hand and urged her into a run, bursting out of the alleyway into a deserted street. It was there, as they rushed into another alleyway, cutting between buildings and slowly leaving the sound of the mob behind them that the first scream started. Elena faltered, hesitated, but the man was still forcing Gwen to run.

"Elena!" Gwen yelled, reaching her hand back, relieved when Elena grabbed it and the three ran, the man leading the way, forcing them into a brutal pace that had their legs weak and lungs aching.

They finally stopped running a few blocks away in the middle of the street on the edge of the campus. The man looked down the roadways, and Gwen was sure she must be bordering on hysteria because his eyes seemed to glow yellow.

"Damnit," the man cursed.

"Why were they screaming?" Elena whispered to Gwen gazing at her with wide and terrified eyes. "It was if something was attacking them."

"That's because something was attacking them," the man said. "We need to get off the street."

"Who are you?" Gwen asked again. "How do you know me?"

"Listen, we don't have time," the man said. "If you want to live you need to trust me."

"Trust you? You won't even tell us who you are!" Gwen said.

"Damnit, I'm Merlin, okay? My name is Merlin and right now I am the only thing keeping you alive." The man, Merlin, said, grasping Gwen's shoulders and forcing her to look at him. His face was unfamiliar, a complete stranger's, and yet there was something about him that seemed to settle her. She took a deep, calming breath and searched those startling blue eyes for any sign of deception.

"Okay," Gwen finally said. "Merlin. What do we need to do?"

* * *

Gwaine saw the soldiers and knew immediately what was happening. He thought of all the safety drills staff had been forced to go through that had expounded on how they would evacuate the school, who would have first priority and what they were supposed to do. Over and over again, Gwaine had been told his job was to help get the students to safety, but he could see the soldiers were already herding them away from campus, supposedly to the buses. There was nothing he could do for the students that the soldiers were not already doing.

Instead of following orders, he turned on his heel and ran towards the library. Gaius had said he would be spending the day deep in the stacks, and with all the commotion, Gwaine had to make sure that Gaius knew to get out.

"You there! Stop!" A soldier tried to grab him. Not giving himself time to think, Gwaine quickly punched him square in the nose and kept running. Hoping the man wouldn't shoot him in the back as he ran to the library.

The library stood on the opposite side of campus. By the time Gwaine reached it, the campus had become eerily quiet, the crowds of panicked students and frazzled faculty thinning out.

Gwaine burst into the library. The check-in desks and coffee stand were completely deserted. Their empty seats and quietness did nothing for his nerves. Not bothering with the elevators, Gwaine took the stairs two at a time.

Gaius would be on the fifth floor, at the very back of the building. No student was ever allowed back there, and Gaius had a horrible habit of forgetting to sign in. Which usually lead to mass confusion and the archivist complaining to the Dean. Now though, it could mean Gaius would be left behind. And everyone knew, when there was an evacuation, the people left behind never survived.

He turned the corner and … no Gaius. Cursing his luck, Gwaine started to run through the dark maze that was the archival stacks. The university boasted Britain's third largest collection of medieval documents and right now Gwaine was cursing its size.

It was with crippling relief that Gwaine spotted the white hair bent over the ancient texts, deep in the stacks hidden in a small alcove in the wall.

"Gaius!" Gwaine shouted, skidding to a stop in front of his mentor. "We need to go!"

"Go? What's happening? Why are you all out of breath?" Gaius asked, raising one critical eye as he made no motion to leave. Instead he calmly flipped over the page in his white gloves and continued reading.

"We need to go now," Gwaine said. Grabbing the old volume with his bare hands, he ignored Gaius' hiss of disapproval as he shoved it unceremoniously back into its archival box.

"Gwaine! That is a priceless manuscript!" Gaius yelled.

"There's an evacuation and if we don't leave now we're done for," Gwaine yelled back, grabbing Gaius' shoulders and forcing him into a clipped walk out of the archives and down the stairs.

"An evacuation! Why didn't you say so!" Gaius scolded.

The quiet of the library still chilled him. Books and backpacks were left at the study tables, an eerie after-image of the mass confusion of just moments previously. It could not have been more than an hour since the evacuation had started. Gwaine had a moment to note how pathetic it was that the military was so used to evacuating cities that they could empty out a whole university so quickly.

As they ran out of the library something caught his eye. Across the grounds, in front of the biology lab, it looked as if some sort of barrier of heavy metal looking boxes had been put up over all the doors.

Gwaine scanned the windows, and his stomach clenched at the sight of red splattered amongst several of them. He tried to tell himself it was only paint. However, there was no denying the very obvious handprint smeared on the glass.

They barely made it two blocks away from the university when the first screams hit them. Stopping dead, in the middle of the street, Gaius and Gwaine hesitated. Wails of terror and pain were getting louder, though still distant.

"Let's go back," Gwaine suggested, already taken a step back.

"But we need to evacuate," Gaius said, though he too was backing up a step.

"It doesn't sound like the evacuation is going too well," Gwaine said. He grabbed hold of Gaius' arm and helped him along, urging him to move faster. "Come on, we need to find some shelter."

* * *

Merlin was careful to set up several barriers around the dormitory they had snuck into. The university would have been one of the first places evacuated, and a quick look with his magic into the halls and rooms had shown they would be safe there for the time being. Not forever though.

He left Gwen and Elena alone in the dormitory room.

"I'll check the perimeters," Merlin had lied. He wanted to give the girls some space.

Elena and Gwen hadn't stopped shaking and clinging to each other, and he knew having some stranger standing over them wouldn't help. Or maybe that was also a lie. He thought of Gwen's deep chocolate eyes searching his, how he felt himself hold his breath a little bit, thinking maybe she would remember, that she would see something she recognized … but nothing. Merlin was just a stranger. A strange stranger who knew her name. He had even de-aged since their first meeting, so she wouldn't even be able to place him from that distant memory back at her father's garage.

"What are we doing?" He heard Elena whisper. The walls were thin, and reminded him of his flat in the nineteen-sixties which had paper thin walls such as this.

"We're trusting him," Gwen replied. She sounded calmer now, a bit more like the Queen he remembered.

"Those screams …" Merlin heard Elena sniff quite loudly and there was a ruffle of sound.

"It's going to be all right. We'll get through this." Gwen promised. Merlin wished she hadn't. There was nothing worse than not being able to keep a promise. And I promise to save you or die by your side. He closed his eyes against the old pain, and leaned against the hallway wall.

"I wonder if my mum went through this," Elena said, it sounded a bit muffled. "Are we just supposed to wait until we get sick? I mean, we don't even know what the symptoms are."

"You won't get sick," Merlin said, finally getting to his feet and entering the room. He didn't bother to hide the fact that he had been listening into their conversation. He knew how bad things truly were, his magic had rebelled and sickened him far worse than ever before, before any military man had arrived to take them away. It had been three days of bed sickness before the evacuation started.

Elena and Gwen were curled up on the bed. They looked like scared children, huddled together against the unknown. He was amazed to find them so close, to his knowledge Gwen and Elena had barely anything to do with each other back in Camelot. Then again, Merlin reminded himself, these weren't his old friends, just their ghosts.

"What do you mean?" Elena asked.

"It's not the sort of illness that you simply get," Merlin explained, taking a seat on the floor and letting his magic strengthen the wards around them. "As long as we're not bitten we'll be fine."

"How do you know so much about the illness?" Gwen asked.

"Because I've lived through these evacuations," Merlin said simply, thinking back to when the attacks had first started. How naive he had been, to run off and think he would be able to stop what was coming. Merlin should know by now that there was no stopping destiny.

"No one lives through the evacuations," Elena said. Both girls flinch as Merlin moves to make himself more comfortable against the hard floor. He tried to ignore the pain of their distrust.

Merlin has nothing to say to that. He has seen what happens, how the fever spreads and burns out the soul inside. He's seen how the dead rise and eat on the flesh of anything that crosses their path. And he's seen how the magic claims all those infected, feeding into the chasm that Morgana had created all those centuries ago when she ripped open the veil of death.

The girls don't speak now that he has returned to the room. Though he notices that they are not shaking as hard anymore. Gwen pulls her hoodie a bit closer around herself, her chocolate curls hiding her face, though she keeps glancing his way. Elena just closes her eyes and hides her face in Gwen's shoulder, curling up like a giant cat and trying to find some sleep.

The room is mostly intact. There is a picture on the dormitory wall of two girls, both in university gear. Merlin wonders which one this room belonged to. Chances are whoever it was is either devoured by the infected or currently stumbling along the streets looking for a piece of live flesh to feed on. The picture looks happy.

The sun starts to creep down and the room gets darker. As a bright red shines through the window Elena's snores start to fill the room.

"You should get some sleep," Merlin finally says. Looking at where Gwen is still staring at him, Merlin wonders what she sees. If she can feel their old friendship somewhere in there, or if she's scared of the stranger who somehow knows her name and has survived the evacuations when no one else does.

"What about you?" Gwen asks, quietly so as to not wake her friend.

"I'm fine. But it will be a hard next few days, and I'm not sure when we'll get another night's rest," Merlin says. "Get some sleep."

Gwen doesn't say anything, merely joins Elena under the covers. The room is getting darker faster now. Merlin stands and stretches.

"How did you know my name?" Gwen whispers.

"Because we knew each other … a long time ago," Merlin says truthfully. "I'll be right outside the room if you need anything."

He leaves the room quickly.

His magic warns him of two people approaching the dormitories where they are currently hiding. He sneaks a glance into the room where the two girls are just starting to get some sleep. Sleep is going to be a rarity until they get out of the city. It was too precious to give up.

He snuck down the hallway towards the pull of his magic. Cursing his lack of foresight, Merlin wished he had a sword or gun or something which would make dispatching of the infected easier. If he needed to he could magic something to use, but it was never as good.

He heard shuffling down the hall. There was barely any time to be confused by the speed in which the infected seemed to be moving. Merlin had only ever witnessed them as a slow moving mass of piranhas.

They were moving so fast that Merlin barely had time to prepare himself until the two figures came around the corner and were coming straight at Merlin. Instinctively Merlin used his magic to push the two figures up against the wall and pin them to it.

"What the fuck!" One of the figures cursed.

Which was odd. Infected usually did little more than grunt or growl. Their mouths snarled and drooped like a rabid animal.

Merlin hesitated as he got closer to the figures. It would be just his luck if the infected had somehow learned to talk and he ended up getting Elena and Gwen killed. He had been responsible for enough death over his centuries of living … he did not need to include two innocent girls, mere ghosts of the past, to the list.

The light was so dim by now that he could only make out the short, shocking white hair of one of the men he had pinned. The other figure fought against his magic, tried to pull at it, but Merlin simply tightened his hold.

He was only an arms width away when he recognizes his prisoners. Gwaine is glaring at him, flipping his hair out of his eyes to stare him down. The other man, Merlin realizes with a kick in his stomach, looks exactly like Gaius. He had not seen his father-figure since Camelot. Breathing deeply, Merlin fought to hide his emotions. He had enough practice by now that it took little effort to keep his face from showing his grief.

Still, he did not let them go.

"Have you been hurt?" He asked.

"You mean besides being smashed against a wall?" Gwaine bites out sarcastically. "No, we're the picture of perfect health."

"You haven't been bitten?" Merlin asked, lowering his voice and adding just a tiny bit of magic to help coerce the truth out the men in front of him.

"What? No! Bitten by what?" Gwaine asked, so bewildered that Merlin knew they mustn't have stumbled across any of the infected yet. If they had, there would be no doubt as to who Merlin was referring to.

With a sigh of relief Merlin releases them. Both men crumple as they hit the floor, and Merlin can't stop himself from rushing forward to help Gaius off the floor. Instantly feeling little better than when he had been a young boy knocking over Gaius' medicines in the physicians chambers. It was odd now to look at this sixty-something, almost seventy year old, and feel deep within him a sense of wonder at how young Gaius is.

"What the fuck was that?" Gwaine asked as he lay crumpled on the ground. "How'd you pin us?"

"Magic," Merlin answered truthfully, acknowledging Gwaine's scoff with a slight nod of his head. It had been easy in the past century to hide his magic behind the truth. The world had left magic behind long before in its attempt to master the sciences, and people's disbelief was more freeing than anything Merlin could have expected.

"I'm sorry," Merlin apologized to Gaius. "I wasn't sure if you were infected or not."

"I can understand your worry, but you should not go around tossing people against walls," Gaius scolded him. "Some people don't recover as fast as you young people."

"I'm not that young," Merlin said sardonically.

"Hey … are you not that guy from the pub?" Gwaine asked, getting so close to Merlin that his breath ghosted over his skin. "Yeah … you were the drunk who puked on the street."

"Glad you remember me," Merlin muttered, quickly focusing on reinforcing his wards. Once satisfied that he would once again be warned if anything came into the building he turned back to Gaius and Gwaine. "Come, we have a room set up right now. It would probably be safer if we all stay together."

"Wait .. who are you?" Gwaine demanded, stepping in front of Gaius and glaring at Merlin.

"You know, people keep asking me that," Merlin said, before turning on his heel and walking down the hallway, smirking to himself as he heard the two men follow slowly behind him.

* * *

Gwaine woke up to find himself in a painstakingly familiar room. It had been a few years since he had slummed it out in the student dorms, a poor uni student trying to desperately cram as much partying into his academic life as possible. Of course, now he got to judge the bastards who thought they could hand in a paper that was obviously done while nursing a hangover and popping aspirin. Still, the unmistakable smell and damaged walls, where the paint had been peeled back from the many posters which had graced the space over the past decades, it was no mistaking where exactly he was.

It did take him a moment to remember why exactly he was there. For one painstaking moment, he was afraid that one of his pupils had managed to beguile him into their beds, but the lack of nakedness and a distinctly clear head seemed to rule out that possibility. Pulling back the sheets, he peered over to the neighbouring bed, crammed as it was into the corner and blinked a few times at the familiar wrinkled face and shocking white hair.

It seemed impossible to see Doctor Gaius in a student dormitory.

And yet there he slept under the blankets and snoring slightly as he turned over and made himself comfortable, never once waking.

Gwaine stood up, still dressed in the clothes he had been wearing all of yesterday and quietly made his way out the bedroom. He paused in the corridor and blindly wondered which way the bathroom was.

"You sleep okay?" a voice asked from beside him. Jumping, he looked down to see the strange man from the pub curled up against the wall, blinking up at him as he exhaled a puff of smoke.

"Did you sleep on the floor?" Gwaine asked incredulously. "You realize there are about three hundred beds in this place right?"

"I've slept in worse conditions," the man said blithely, waving off Gwaine's concern. "Were you looking for anything?"

"Bathrooms," Gwaine said.

The man pointed down the hallway and waited for Gwaine to nod in understanding before he took a long drag from his fag and closed his eyes in near bliss. After making it to the bathroom and relieving his bladder, he noticed the man had started another fag.

"Cheekbones, I hope you know that this is technically a smoke-free zone," Gwaine said.

"What did you call me?" the man asked, gazing up and smiling brightly at Gwaine. The smile was so different from the normal frown Gwaine had seen so far, and seemed at complete odds to the image of a serious stranger that Gwaine had.

"I called you cheekbones," Gwaine said.

The man laughed and his eyes crinkled in mirth. He flicked his fag to the ground and stomped on it as he stood up. He stretched out his hand.

"I'm Merlin," the man greeted as Gwaine took his hand. "It looks like we'll be stuck together for a while. You should probably at least know my name."

"Merlin? Like the wizard?" Gwaine asked, smiling.

"Yeah … like the wizard."

Merlin leaned back against the wall and Gwaine noticed a backpack at his feet. In it seemed to be filled with cigarette packages, granola bars, water bottles and socks. He glanced back up at Merlin quizzically.

"Packed are we?" Gwaine asked.

"We're going to need to be moving soon," Merlin said. "We need to get out of the city. I'll wake the girls if you wouldn't mind bringing Gaius into the room next to yours. I'll let them know that we have company."

Gwaine nodded, watching as Merlin ran a hand through his dark locks and messed them up so they stood on end. Merlin seemed very protective of the "girls" he traveled with. While Merlin had mentioned the two girls, he had yet to see any sign of the them.

Walking into the shared bedroom he noticed a distinct stillness on the opposite bed. Peaking from the bundle of covers Gaius watched him in silence.

"You heard him then?" Gwaine asked, nodding towards the door.

"Yes," Gaius sighed, turning over on the bed and struggling to get up. "I suppose we must go see what it is he plans to do."

* * *

Merlin tried to keep focused as he sat in a room beside the ghosts of his past. It would not do to think of his past friends and who these people used to be, in a life they could no longer remember. The suspicious looks he was getting from all of them were enough to help remind himself that he didn't actually know any of these people.

"Professors!" Elena gasped, as Gwaine and Gaius entered the room and hovered in the doorway.

"Are you three students here at the university?" Gaius asked. Merlin caught the uneasy gaze his past mentor sent to him.

"Yes, well, Gwen and I are," Elena said, flapping one arm in Gwen's general vicinity. "We're actually in your second year lecture Gwaine, I mean professor."

"Just Gwaine," he said, flipping his hair slightly and smiling down with an oozing charm radiating from his every pore. "As a group of abandoned evacuees I think first names are fine."

"Right, Gwaine," Elena murmured, blushing a deep red.

"I hope you do not flirt with all your students," Gaius reprimanded a completely unfazed Gwaine, even with the raised eyebrow being directed fully in his direction. The tone was so achingly familiar that Merlin couldn't help but lash out.

"If we are done with the getting to know each other we need to get moving," Merlin said.

"Right Princess," Gwaine teased, and it felt so wrong to have him use that word with Merlin, that it made him feel physically ill. "So, what's the grand plan?"

"We need to get out of the city," Merlin said, his mind already speeding ahead of him as he thought of all the plans and possible pitfalls that they might face as they tried to get out of the city. "I have a storage space just outside of the city center. If we can make there we can get away."

"What about the buses?" Elena asked, piping up from where she was huddled against the bed. "Should we not see if the buses are still here?"

"They are, that's the problem," Merlin said. "They are overrun with the infected and if we go there we will all die. I have means to get us out of the city as soon as we get where we need to be."

"Why should we trust you? Why should we believe some sketchy guy that if we go to this magical address that we can escape this illness. No one escapes it. Not ever." Gwaine asked, leaning against the back wall.

"Merlin has," Gwen said fiercely, causing Merlin to start in surprise. "Merlin has escaped from the evacuations before and he saved us earlier from that crowd. If you don't want to come with us you don't have to. No one will force you."

"Gwen." Merlin muttered, feeling slightly unbalanced to hear her defend him. "It's fine."

"Didn't mean any offense by it," Gwaine said.

"We won't have time to go home and pack will we?" Elena asked, effectively taking the subject to safer ground.

"No, I am sorry," Merlin apologized. "We've waited too long anyways. The longer it takes for us to leave, the less likely we will make it out of here alive."

"Then let's get going," Elena commanded, standing up and reminding Merlin distantly of the past Queen she had grown to be later in her life the first time around. "We can discuss sketchiness or the lack thereof later once we're all safe."

Merlin looked towards Gwaine as the man hovered protectively in front of Gaius and could practically hear the wheels in his brain turning as he decided whether or not it would be smart to travel with their small gang of people. However, Gwaine's internal debate was quickly settled once Gaius stood up.

"I am ready to go then," Gaius said. "I hope you have a change of clothes at this location of yours."

"Yes," Merlin promised, fondly remembering past travels from a long time ago.

"Excellent."

Gwen and Elena also got up from their bed and shifted anxiously, looking towards Merlin for guidance. Sneaking a quick and questioning glance towards Gwaine, he waited until he saw a small nod of approval before taking a deep breath.

He wondered if Arthur had felt this uncertainty and nerves before leading his men into known danger. The knowledge that not all his men would come back after they had left the safety of their camp. He had never paid that much attention at the time, too preoccupied with making sure that Arthur survived. He thought of how Arthur had stood in front of his men before battle, with his head held tall, causing Merlin's heart to skip a beat as he drank in the image Arthur made. It hurt to think about, just like any reminder of Arthur cut him to his core and left the old wound opened and raw.

"Let's go then," Merlin finally said, snapping himself back to the present with great difficulty. "I have some basic things with me, but it shouldn't take more than a couple of hours to get to where we need to get going. If you see anyone on the streets, anyone at all, don't approach them."

"But what if they need help?" Gwen asked.

"Trust me, it's not worth the risk," Merlin said.

"You're asking us to trust you and leave innocent people to die," Gwaine snapped in distaste.

"No, I am asking you to trust me and not do something stupid that could kill you and everyone else in this room."

"He is right," Gaius said calmly from behind Gwaine. "It will be impossible to know who is infected, we do not even know the symptoms to look for."

"Thank you Gaius," Merlin said.

"Right," Gwaine looked meaningfully at Gaius and then at the girls in front of him. Merlin could see the moment that he relented, the way Gwaine's shoulders straightened out with purpose, the same way he used to straighten up when he had a quest to fulfill.

They left behind the empty dormitory. Merlin went first, reaching out with his magic to make sure their way was clear. Gwen and Elena clung together closely behind him, with Gaius and Gwaine taking up the rear.

The university grounds were eerily quiet as the group begun their trek across the city. The only sound was the happy chirps of far off birds, completely out of sync with the overpowering sense of wrong that clung to the air. Even without magic, he could tell it was affecting the other members of their group, seeped into their bones and made them feel cold and empty despite the warm spring sun beating down on them.

They had not even made it to the library when Gwaine stopped, forcing the group to come to a halt. He stood, staring at the medical building, looking a bit non-pulsed by something.

"Odd," Gwaine muttered. "Do you think the military is trying to do a rescue mission?"

"Why do you think that?" Merlin asked.

"It's just ... there used to be a blockade in front of that building," Gwaine pointed at the now open doors. "Now there isn't one."

"Is it possible?" Gwen asked, grabbing Merlin's arm. "Could help be on it's way?"

"No," Merlin said, quickly scanning the surrounding area. There it was, stumbling towards them, silent and deadly, its face a grotesque mask of decaying flesh. What once used to be a young woman, probably a student with a future ahead of her, was now a walking corpse. "Fuck. Run!"

"What?" Gwaine asked, turning around to see what Merlin was looking at. Merlin was not waiting though, grabbing Gwen's hand he started running. He knew the evacuation had not worked. The city would be crawling with the infected. Clutching tighter onto Gwen's hand he could hear the pounding of the others feet against the pavement.

He did not stop running to check on everyone until they were a good two blocks from the campus. As he slowed to a brisk walk, Elena bent over, grabbing her stomach.

"You okay?" Gwaine asked, lightly patting her back as he kept her moving forward.

"What was that thing?" Elena asked, clutching Gwaine's shirt as they tried to keep up with the group. Merlin could tell Gwen was also tiring, her breathes coming out in small puffs. Gaius seemed to be in intense pain as he hobbled beside them, his older bones not used to the physical demand.

"One of the infected," Merlin said grimly.

"It looked like a fucking zombie," Gwaine said.

"I guess that's one way to put it," Merlin admitted, shrugging his shoulders. "Zombie, infected, cursed ... which ever one tickles your fancy."

"Are you serious?" Gwaine asked. "You're seriously saying we're, what? In some sort of zombie apocalypse?"

"If that's the best way for you to understand it than yes," Merlin snapped.

"How would you put it?" Gwen asked, still clutching at his hand, never once breaking pace from him.

"I would just call it the apocalypse."

"That's not exactly comforting mate," Gwaine pointed out.

"It wasn't supposed to be," Merlin said. "I just ..."

As they turned the corner all words dried in his throat. Berating himself internally at being too busy talking to check the path ahead, they now stood in front of a deadly swarm of the infected.

At least several dozen infected stood before them. It was too late to slip away, the crowd had already caught their scent and stumbled and hurried their way towards them. Their limbs moving as if puppets on a string, uncoordinated and unnatural. The stench of their decaying bodies hitting Merlin even as he felt the bottom of his stomach drop.

Together the group bolted in the opposite direction. Merlin tried to look ahead with his magic, and he could see several smaller clusters laying ahead of them. The running and weakening of his legs made it difficult to see much though. Their only chance of survival was to get off the streets.

He tried to think of his years in the city as a student all those decades ago. He knew several tunnels that could get them across the city safely, but none were close by. He knew of several older buildings that had been smuggling dens for all sorts of vices over the years. Many of them had secret rooms and chambers. One in particular had a small tunnel that connected two buildings just a few blocks apart from each other. John and Merlin had used that tunnel numerous times back in the 1930s. It was only a few streets away.

"Down here," Merlin yelled, sprinting left through a narrow alleyway. A brief glance behind him and he felt his heart drop when he noticed how far behind Gaius and Gwaine were. "Just a few blocks!"

"Where," Gwen gasped, her pace slipping so that Merlin was pulling at her hand forcing her into a stumbling run. "Where're we going?"

"The Bull's Head."

"What?"

He could see the abandoned facade. Decades ago it had been run-down, with grimy windows covered in soot from the smokers inside, the walls stained, ceilings low and a certain clientele which kept the unwanted out of the establishment. Merlin had been a regular. Nowadays it was run down to the extent that the sketchy Bull's Head bar would have looked like a high-end VIP club in comparison. The windows now boarded up and locked down. Graffiti of different names were artfully done along the sides.

"In here!" Merlin yelled, reaching out with his magic to pick the lock and open the front doors for them. He felt a small moment of victory as the chains fell before a horrible yell of pain pierced the air.

Turning around, he watched in horror as Gaius yelled out as an infected ripped the flesh from his shoulder with its teeth. Gwaine was right beside Gaius and Merlin watched him running to save his mentor, and knew he had to stop him somehow.

Barely thinking, Merlin used his magic to push Gwaine forward, away from Gaius and towards them. Crumpling onto the ground upon impact, Gwaine quickly tried to jump to his feet, to rush forward once more.

"No!" Merlin yelled. Already they were attracting too much attention, the infected had not let go of Gaius yet, and was gnawing on his arm even as the older man tried to get away. Others were approaching though, at least twenty attracted by the yells.

"Gaius!" Gwaine yelled.

Merlin knew that Gwaine would not be reasoned with, could already see Elena starting to dart towards Gwaine to help him. Could feel Gwen's need to jump in and help, only stilled by his iron grip on her hand.

But Gaius was already dead. He had died as soon as his flesh had been ripped.

And there was no power on this earth that would stop Merlin from saving the three people left.

Crouching down to pick up a stone from the ground, it was easy to change it to his weapon of choice. He wondered what Arthur would say if he found out that Merlin was actually proficient with a weapon, he had always said every man had a weapon they preferred "though of course your such a girl, Merlin, that might not apply to you."

The echoing bang of his pistol made everyone stop. Gaius crumpled to the ground, the bullet had hit true, right in the head so that Gaius would not be turned into the abominations now stumbling towards them for a fresher prey.

Running forward, he let go of Gwen so that he could grab the shell-shocked Gwaine and pull him into the old bar. The inside was barely recognizable. Stripped to its bones and with beams falling haphazardly in the far corner. Merlin used his magic to weld the door shut as Elena was the last to make it inside.

Gwaine suddenly snapped to life. Grabbing Merlin by his shirt, he slammed him so hard against the door that there was a ringing in his ears and a tang of blood in his mouth.

"You son of a bitch" Gwaine roared, slamming Merlin back once more, before he clenched his hand against Merlin's neck cutting off his airway. "You murdering son of a bitch."

"Stop it!" Gwen cried, rushing forward and trying to break Gwaine's grip. "Stop!"

Letting go of his strangle hold Merlin could barely catch a breath before Gwaine picked him up and slammed him against a different wall.

"Gwaine!" Elena yelled.

"You murdered him!" Gwaine raged, and Merlin could see his own sorrow matched in Gwaine's wild gaze.

"I saved him," Merlin croaked. "He was already dead."

"You shot him, he was alive and you shot him," Gwaine yelled. "You asked us to trust you and you just ..."

"I told you. As soon as they break the skin of their victim, they become infected. That's how the sickness spreads." Merlin said. "If I hadn't done that, he would have burned up. A consuming fever until all he craved was our flesh and the skin flaked from his skin. And that was best case scenario. Worst case we would all be having that mob devour us whole."

"You can't know that," Gwaine said softly, slumped forward, the anger leaving him as suddenly as it had hit.

"If I hadn't done that we all could have died. It was mercy," Merlin whispered.

"Where did the gun come from?" Elena asked, suddenly piping up from over Gwaine's shoulder.

"Magic."

"Don't fucking joke about this," Gwaine growled, tear tracks glistening on his cheek.

"I'm not," Merlin snapped. "Look!"

Before their eyes he let the gun morph back into the pebble from which he had made it.

"That's not possible," Elena said.

"No it's not," Gwen agreed, stepping forward to pluck the pebble out of Merlin's hand. She turned it around in her fingers, as if trying to see where the gun would have folded itself down into such an odd shape.

"We need to keep moving," Merlin said. "This door won't hold them off forever."

"Are you expecting us to believe that we have Harry Potter protecting us?" Gwaine asked.

"No, you have Merlin protecting you. Now if you all would like to live, I would highly suggest running." Merlin said, watching as the door shook from the force of the infected trying desperately to claw their way inside.

"But ..." Gwaine tried to stop him. This time it was Merlin who grabbed Gwaine and shoved him against the wall. Letting a millennia of experience give him the upper hand.

"You're in a zombie apocalypse and you're having trouble with the fact that I have magic? That's fine. But you need to get over it and get moving because if you fall behind you will die," Merlin warned.

"Are you threatening me?" Gwaine groaned.

"No, that was a warning."

* * *

Gwen was thankful that Merlin kept hold of her hand as they moved again. It was the only thing that kept her numb feet moving. She could barely see in front of her, the image of Professor Gaius being ripped and torn by the monsters that seemed to creep from every nook and cranny.

"Where are we going?" Gwen asked as Merlin led them into the basement, running down the stairs.

"There's nothing down here," Gwaine said.

"There's an old tunnel. Bull's Head was known for dealing in any contraband material of the time. This was their escape tunnel in case any authorities caught onto them." Merlin explained. Sure enough, with a small grunt he was able to open a trap door in the floor. He paused for a moment, his eyes turning golden, before smiling and nodding to himself.

"How do you know this?" Elena asked.

"It was a popular establishment in the eighteenth-century and again the 1920s. I was a frequent visitor," Merlin said. "In fact, I was the one to help them come up with the tunnel idea. A bit brilliant if you ask me."

"How old are you?" Elena asked, eyeing Merlin for any signs of wrinkles or grey hair.

"Older than I look."

The tunnel was dark and cramped, forcing them to bend in half as they scurried in the black abyss. A small blue orb hovered about them, lighting the way so they did not trip on the roots showing. Gwen kept staring at the orb, trying to make sense of it. Magic, zombies ... the impossible seemed to be taking over their lives within the course of a day, and Gwen found she much preferred her life before all of it.

The end of the tunnel led to another building, equally as run down as the first and condemned. She wondered what Merlin was, that he would know of these establishments and yet not have aged a day in at least ninety years.

As they moved back onto the streets, Gwen was relieved to see they were blessedly abandoned and quiet. They moved swiftly through them, everyone's senses on full alert, jumping at shadows. There was no one though. Gwen had a moment to wonder if they were too busy feasting on Gaius's corpse, before she felt a wave of nausea fall over her. Barely keeping it down, Gwen tried to force her thoughts away from that.

"Are you okay?" Elena asked Gwaine behind them.

"I'm fine," Gwaine said shortly and with a small look towards Gwen, Elena moved back farther away from him.

"We're here," Merlin announced. Moving towards old doors of an abandoned carriage shed, the door seemed to unlock as Merlin moved towards it. With a single pull, the large doors swung open and revealed several vehicles stashed inside.

"Okay, are you a car thief or 007?" Gwaine asked.

"None of the above. Just been around for awhile, and once you live long enough you start to just gather a lot of things. There are weapons by the back wall, choose one in case we're attacked. And then pick a vehicle. I'm going on Kilgarragh." Merlin said as he started to throw the dust covered blankets off random vehicles and work tables.

Gwen moved to the back wall and tried to still the panic that set in at the sight of different weapons, all of them seeming to be as antiquated as the hills. Who was she placing her trust in that he would have a weapon collection this massive?

Gwaine grabbed a sword, holding it aloft and swinging it slightly from side to side.

Merlin stopped clearing off the items, and stared at Gwaine for a moment. There was an odd wet sheen to his eyes and a paleness that took away any colour from his cheeks as he stared at Gwaine holding the sword aloft. Upon noticing Gwen watching him, he gave a weak smile and turned back around.

Elena grabbed a bow and arrows.

"Hunger Games fan?" Gwaine teased.

"No, just a fan of not letting something that wants to eat me get close enough to actually take a bite," Elena told him cheerfully, before bouncing off. Gwaine looked a bit worriedly down at his blade, and Gwen had to bite back a smile as she tried to determine what weapon she would pick.

She saw the gun and remembered her father taking her and her brother out to the shooting range to practice. He did it to meet his ex-military buddies, but he never liked to leave the kids at home, not after her mother died. So they would go and her father would show her how to clean and put the safety on and off.

With a shaking hand, Gwen grabbed the gun and a holster. Then, as she made to turn away, she grabbed a dagger, just in case.

"We ready to go?" Merlin asked.

"Aren't you grabbing a weapon?" Gwen asked.

"Don't need one," Merlin shrugged, and Gwen was not sure what to say to that, so she simply nodded and watched as he uncovered an old motorbike. A very familiar old motorbike. Looking up at Merlin, his blue eyes seemed to penetrate hers, and suddenly she was looking at them through the dirty panes of her father's garage and those blue eyes were surrounded by wrinkles and white hair.

"You!" Gwen gasped. "How?"

"So you remember that do you?" Merlin asked. "I was wondering if you would piece it together."

"Gwen, what's happening?" Elena asked, standing behind Gwen and glaring at Merlin.

"You were at my father's shop. You were the old man, but ... you're young now. You were old and weird and now you are young and kinda hot. How?"

"Magic," Merlin smiled, blushing slightly and looking nothing like the man capable of shooting another in the head. "Can be whatever age I wish. It's quite simple actually."

"Simple, right," Gwen said. Then she laughed as she ran a shaking hand over the motorbike. "Elyan was in love with this bike. He went on and on about it, begged Dad to buy one. He would hate to know I got a chance to touch it and he wasn't around. When I tell him ... If I tell him ..."

"Hey," Merlin said, stepping towards Gwen and gently grabbing her arms. "I promise you that I will get you out of here. I won't let you down again."

"You haven't let me down yet," Gwen told him, Merlin only smiled sadly.

"Not this time. Not yet."

In barely any time they were flying down the streets, too fast for the infected to reach them. Gwen wrapped tightly around Merlin on the back of Kilgarragh, the old motorbike of Elyan's dreams. Behind them in a smaller car was Gwaine and Elena. An hour later, as they passed the city limit Gwen felt she could actually breathe. But the breath came out in a shuddering sob and not bothering with discretion, she pushed her face against Merlin's shoulder and let the tears fall.


End file.
